“I am a free being, Sir,…”
December 17th, 2012 - 5:54 am
“I am handing over to you my passport and social security, which I have never used,” he said. “We no longer have the same homeland, I am a true European, a citizen of the world, as my father always taught me to believe.”
He concludes: “Despite my excesses, my appetite and love for life, I am a free being, Sir, and will remain polite.”
At some point, the parasites will run out of hosts.
I feel dirty for agreeing with him
Here is reason not to feel dirty for agreeing with Mr. Depardieu.
I also heard that sanctimonious Leftist Johnny Depp recently left France and bought property in Nashville.
Business is business, baby.
Depp left from there not long after he moved to avoid the “embarrassment” of living under GWB. All the Car-b-Ques and other violence scared him from raising his family there. Not much was noted about it outside of a few conservative blogs with links to some of his comments afterward. Much of his later residence was temporary. He also never turned in his passport and S.S. card
I’m sure the fact that Tennessee residents pay ZERO state income tax had nothing to do with it.
Hmm- must be a coincidence!
He did just break up with his French partner- but I’m sure keeping most of the Pirates loot instead of giving it to France didn’t influence him at all.
Both of them apparently can count or have CPAs that can.
Trey
Matthew 19:21
“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Proof this French fella is not perfect. Who know? He may do this in time .
Jesus then say: It each easier the a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the treasure of heaven”
(after seeing this great heaven treasure on the other side of the mother Lake out of my reach rich man should not play games with the words “the eye of the needle ” Yikes
Have you sold all of your possessions? Be honest, have you?
Y, He said “SELL and GIVE”, not have a bunch of Kleptocrat politicians STEAL them from you so they can fund their own plutocrat lifestyles and retain power (which they value more than money.)
Jesus also said, in response to a question about taxes, “Render under Caesar what is Caesar’s, render under God what is God’s.”
Amen. Jesus did not advocate caring for the poor at the tip of the Roman spear.
I am old enough to remember when “the poor” consisted mainly of working poor. If a church helped a family the family would in turn do handiwork or whatever for the church. I remember plenty of Christmas Eves when my father, dressed as Santa Claus*, would deliver treats and trinkets to poorer families in town and my mother, who suffers from MS, never had a shortage of volunteers to help her with different tasks. Today charity is a requirement, not a kindness. The “working poor” have been replaced by people who refuse to work because they consider the jobs for which they are qualified to be beneath them and they believe that they are entitled to compensation simply because they exist. Government forced charity has destroyed families. Government created the dependent class and as a result is being consumed by it. Sure, they are good for a few votes but what will happen when the government cheese finally runs out?
*Dad delivered gifts in a sleigh. To the best of my knowledge no one ever questioned why it was being drawn by horses instead of reindeer.
Waxwing01,
The only thing this verse proves is that Jesus knew this man’s personal problem. He was personally putting wealth ahead of God in his heart, and it’s a problem for many of us who are rich in the world’s luxuries to think we need a Savior.
But that’s no excuse for a robber to hold a rich man up at gunpoint and say, “Give me all your money – after all, you want to go to heaven, right?”
It makes no logical sense to support a confiscatory tax policy based on this verse.
Jesus goes on to say at the end of this chapter that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”
So in the logic you apply, it would make sense for the government to send everyone to the mission field, correct?
Jesus FORGAVE the robber who was crucified next to him. He also forgave Zacchias, the tax collector, who made restitution greatly in excess of what he had taken.
But forgiveness has nothing to do with condoning any sin. Jesus never condoned or excused robbery or rapacious taxation.
So you think he should give all his money to the poor,then? You agree that there is no reason to give 75% to the government? And the 80 people he employees? Just toss them out on the street since he now has no money to pay them, what with giving it all to the poor?
As the saying goes: God loves the poor, that’s why he made so many of them. So you see, throwing those 80 people out of work and impoverishing them and their families is just doing God’s work.
If Mr. Depardieu had stayed in France, would he be following God better? If the tax rate would be higher, would France be following God better? With this logic, God is a communist.
God is not a communist. You are committing a heresy in just about any mainstream christian denomination. Repent.
eye of the needle was a thing / place (lets call it a bridge). You could pass a camel through it; it was just hard.
Also; the bible compared high taxes to slavery.
Jesus said the eye of ‘A’ needle not the eye of ‘THE’ needle. The lack of specificity takes the statement out of the realm of named security gates and into sewing needles and other things that pull thread (much smaller than camels) through things.
You have a very odd and twisted understanding of the teachings of Jesus, waxwing01. I could say ‘birdbrained’.
When did ‘sell’ and give’ take on the meaning of ‘pay your taxes’?
Waxwing sounds like your garden-variety repentant preacher. He feels bad about being wealthy, so he preaches to the congregation, asking them to give up their possessions. One day he sees a pretty teenager in the choir, so that day’s sermon is about the evil lust he sees among his congregants. Comedian Benny Hill used to do a sketch where he was a preacher who his apprentice as “wicked man” every time a sinful thought entered his own head.
That being said, I think we can conclude that Depardieu’s past as a rapist renders him imperfect.
Yeah, but Jesus only asks you to give 10%. Makes you wonder what the gov’t is doing with the other 60%.
This statement is ridiculous to me. There is no such thing as a “European.” Europe is region compised of 25 nation states. There are French, German, Polish, Italian, Spanish, Greek, etc., but there is no European.
It’s the same with Palestine. That is a name given to a region by the Romans. But there are no Palestinians. The people who live there are actually Jordanian, Syrian, Egyptian, Arabic, whatever. There is no such thing as a Palestinian, any more than there is such a thing as a European. Both are a region given a name, but not a nationality.
The left likes to use the phrase “Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels,” but when understood in context it really means nationalism. About 200 years ago every nationality was considered a race. The French were French, the Germans were German, and so on. But at the time they were all ruled by aristocracies. So, by patriotism the quote really refers to submission to aristocracy.
This is why the Declaration of Independence is so important. “We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. . . .” That is a direct refutation of the divine right of kings and of aristocracy in general. It means that no man was born to rule over other men.
That said, I admire this actor. His work in Cyrano was brilliant. And I understand where he’s coming from. But he hasn’t aged well.
The same can be said about the Rolling Stones. They started this whole tax avoidance thing in the early 70s, when they figured out that Britain was going to take 90% of their earnings and fled. That was when they formed the Rolling Stones Mobile Unit, came up with the Tongue Logo, and recorded their best music on the French Riviera–Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street, and all that.
It just goes to show that high taxation results in flight. The Beatles never figured that out, and they’re still involved in litigation over their earnings. Paul McCartney and Wings did figure it out though. They recorded their first album in Lagos, far away from British taxation.
Got to respectfully disagree on the whole Palestinian thing. I understand that that is a standard Israeli talking point and in 1967 it was probably true. But we need to accept that over the past 45 years, a Palestinian nationality has developed. Today, in 2012, there really are people who are not Egyptians, not Jordanians…they are Palestinian Arabs. They may have unrealistic expectations and they may be blaming the wrong people for their problems, and it may well be a bad idea for all concerned that they get their own nation-state…but they DO exist. Pretending they don’t does not advance the conversation.
And, respectfully, there is a Kingdom named Jordan (used to be trans-Jordan) whose
popluation is about 80% Palestinian. So there currently IS a Palestinian state.
But for some odd reason, the King there, who is supported by the Europeans who
put his granpa on the throne, is somewhat reticent to retire to Monaco where
he could spend his inherited millions.
Why won’t the “World” allow a Palestinian State to be born there?
HINT … follow the Saudi Money Trail …
Respectfully, there are no Europeans. There is no such people. There are various peoples who live in a region called Europe. The same is true of Palestinians. There is no such people. There are various peoples who live in a region called Palestine.
The same is true for Americans. There is no such people. There are various peoples who live in a region called America, but they come from all over the world. The same is true for Canadians. The same is true for Mexicans. There are lots of Germans living in Mexico–who do you think started all the beer factories down there? But would you consider them “Mexicans”? Not really, they’re Germans living in Mexico. That may be their nationality, but not their ethnicity.
Ever been to Chinatown? I have, in San Francisco. It kind of freaked me out. Everywhere everything is in Chinese; even the street signs are written in Chinese. A bunch of Chinese people walking around, speaking and reading Chinese. I went to a Chinese restaurant. The waiter gave me a menu, in Chinese. I asked him politely if he had a bilingual menu. He responded politely, in English, and brought me a menu in English. It was the best Chinese food I’ve ever had.
We see this all over the country. Little China, Little Russia, the French Quarter, Little Germany, Little Mexico–read the book Albion’s Seed; it’s about how immigration patterns from Britain and Europe affected different parts of America. People immigrate to a geographic region that most resembles their homeland.
So, for example, in Texas, German immigrants came to Central Texas. That’s why there are towns there named Fredricksburg and New Braunfels. Down here in South Texas, this area was largely developed by Scot-Irish settlers from the midwest. They came down here in the early 1900s, bought some land, cleared out the mesquite brush, and started farming. That’s why the towns are named Edinburg or McCallen. Of course, there’s a large Spanish influence, but that’s the border, with towns named San Juan or Rio Hondo.
The point being that there are ethnic enclaves all over the country. People associate mostly with people who are like them. It’s just that in the region called America, named after an Italian, we’ve managed to pretty much well get along with each other, because we respect each other’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
I’ve been surrounded by Hispanics or Latinos or Mexicans, whatever you want to call them, all of my life. Me, I’m actually an Alsatian. That’s an ethnicity that wasn’t recognized on the census until 2000. I bought a bottle of champagne and celebrated. Hey, now I’m a minority. My grandparents were French and German, although I also have some British, Polish and Swiss ancestors. So I’m a mutt. There’s a rumor that one of my grandfathers was a Cherokee, but I don’t make that claim because it can’t be proven.
I can go anywhere in the region called America and get along with just about anybody. I’ve never been to Canada, but I have been to Mexico. I haven’t gone back in over 20 years, because that place is a hell whole. People who do not live down here have no idea what it’s like over there now.
The same is true for the region called Palistine, named so by the Romans. There is no such people. They’re Syrians, Jordanians, Egyptians, Arabs, all sorts of peoples there. The problem is that they don’t want to live in peace with Israel. They are in a constant state of war.
The Israelies, or Hebrews, or Yiddish, whatever you want to call them, have an absolute right to their own nationality. That land was called Judea long before it was called Palestine.
When the Palestinians can live in peace with their neighbors, then they’ll deserve statehood. Until such time, let them squabble amongst themselves. And if they want to start a war, wipe them out.
You don’t see Mexico wanting to start a war with the United States, do you? How about Canada? I don’t think so. Because they know what would happen, complete obliteration.
If that’s the way the so-called Palestinians want to play it, so be it. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is no such thing as a Palestinian. Or a European, or an American, or a Canadian, or a Mexican, and so forth. We’re all mutts. We just need to learn to live with each other. When the Arab world figures that out, then we can talk. Until such time, I say bomb them all.
Why was there was no palestine, no call for a palestinian state from 1948-1967 when Jordan occupied the west bank and Egypt occupied the gaza strip ? Neither Jordan nor Egypt would grant citizenship to the residents of the areas they each occupied . To this day no arab state will grant citizenship to palestinians . In contrast israel has granted citizenship to all the jews, 900,000 or so, expelled by arab countries during the 1950s . For the most part these true refugees arrived with nothing, their wealth having been confiscated by the arab governments that expelled them.
Citizen of Europe, heh. So he pays taxes to each of the countries, votes in none of them and has no protection under anybodies law, except maybe the UN (?).
Sure, riiiiight.
ta
some of his taxes were going to the E.U., and will continue to as a Belgian.
Despite my excesses, my appetite and love for life, I am a free being…
Hell, those are PART of being a free being!
Well, no one is free.
“Well, no one is free.”
[sarcasm]
Well, duh. Obviously, since you didn’t build your success on your own, you and your labors belong to everyone else, too, so pay up, you selfish bastard.
[/sarcasm]
“I will not make any deals with you. I’ve resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own. I resign.”
Yeah, the dastardly 1% (or is it now 2%…3%?) have the means to avoid confiscatory taxes. Oh, wait. I’m sorry — I forgot that it’s OK to be a 1%-er if you’re an actor or musician. Anyway, I pity those other “Citizens of Europe” who can’t leave.
“Who is #1?”
“You are #6″
“I am not a number..I am a FREE MAN!”
“The Prisoner”
@Alex Bensky: you beat me to it. I was going to say, “Patrick McGoohan, call your medium.”
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
–Goethe
Yes, and all it takes to be free is a coupl’a hundred million dollars. The rest of us peons – not so free.
Well, as long as there are a few free men left, at least we have something to aspire to. In other words, I sympathize with Mr. Depardieu, but don’t hve his resources.
“Yes, and all it takes to be free is a coupl’a hundred million dollars. The rest of us peons – not so free.”
You can have a modest salary and move to a different state/EU country. Dep is loaded but my brother is a national sales manager- he moved states for family reasons- but he could have done it for taxes.
Small businesses certainly move to lower tax states- I just talked to a small businessman who told me the tax differences between NY state and NC- unbelievable difference.
I could be free with two million in the bank — that would do it.
I have been observing nature almost seventy years now, and I see no indication of a change in the relationship between parasites and hosts. The healthier and stronger a specimen is, the more attractive its parasites find it. When the vine-encased tree falls taking its parasites with it, new saplings immediately begin competing for the sunlight.
It’s going to take some getting used to, seeing that nose on John Galt in ASIII. But, he’s earned it, and that’s that. Probably looking for work, too.
Robbins, we want information…information…
Ah the true problem of French socialism–the Parisites running out of hosts.
“You’ll not get it!”
“By hook or by crook, we will.”
Well yeah, but I quibble at calling an overpaid movie actor a “host”.
Why is he overpaid? He negotiates every film- its what the market will bear. Should the producer get all the money?
I can buy that aging sports stars with enormous contracts are “overpaid”- even then someone thought it was worthwhile.
Sadly, what is happening is that there are fewer and fewer places to go to when we classical liberals want to vote with our feet. The parasites are slowly cornering us so that the last few will eventually have no where at all to go.
Sorry to be so pessimistic, but what I see now is that liberty is fading fast and won’t make a return until we’ve had a complete collapse and can start over.
TFR @ 16: Canada.
There was once a time when those who governed us, respected us.
“They will always keep in mind that their countrymen are freemen, and, as such, are impatient of everything that bears the least mark of a domineering spirit. They will, therefore, refrain, with the most guarded circumspection, from whatever has the semblance of haughtiness, rudeness, or insult. If obstacles occur, they will remember that they are under the particular protection of the laws and that they can meet with nothing disagreeable in the execution of their duty which these will not severely reprehend. This reflection, and a regard to the good of the service, will prevent, at all times a spirit of irritation or resentment. They will endeavor to overcome difficulties, if any are experienced, by a cool and temperate perseverance in their duty–by address and moderation, rather than by vehemence or violence.” – Alexander Hamilton, Letter of Instructions to the Commanding Officers of the Revenue Cutters, 4 June 1791
Meanwhile, Obama just invoked the use of sec 4 of the 14th amendment… with E.O. 13603 behind him – which effectively ‘nationalizes’ everything and everyone, including you and your bank account – all we need is a declaration of a ‘national emergency’ or a declaration of war/martial law…and it’s all over but the running, screaming and dying.
What a rich French guy is doing with his own money and his own life should be the least of your concerns.
I saw a cartoon with the caption that read “Just give me one chance that money can’t make me happy.”
.
At least Depardieu had that option. The US, unlike most (all?) other countries, taxes citizens’ income no matter where in the world it is earned.
People who say money can’t buy happiness don’t know where to shop.
His comment a la Christopher Hitchens